Roger O Green

Bach Magnificat

In addition to our weekly musical contribution between September and June, the choir of First Presbyterian Church of Albany usually endeavors to take on one or two more substantial pieces during the church year. For the First Friday in December 2024, we performed Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat, directed by our choir director, Michael Lister, in the church’s sanctuary.

The choir had been practicing since September, with three special Sunday afternoon rehearsals. Dr. Lister had also recruited additional vocalists, some from his tenure at the College of Saint Rose (RIP) and from UAlbany. A few of them also came at the end of our regular Thursday night rehearsals to hone their musical understanding of the pieces.

There were two parts to the December 6 program. The first part involved the octet of the choir: Rose, Maria, Fiona, Sarah, Joshua, Nate, Dan, and Tom. They performed:

Ave Regina Coelorum by Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704)

Ave Maria by Tomas Louis Victoria (1548-1611)

Ave Generosa by Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) with text by Hildegard von Bingen

Blessed Be That Maid Marie, a 15th-century Carol arranged by Susan LaBarr

Magnificat by Arvo Pärt (b.1935)

Bògòroditse Dyevo by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 -1943)

Hacia Belen va un Botrrico, a traditional Spanish Carol arranged by Alice Parker

Estonian

My favorite piece was the Pärt, pronounced like pear with a T at the end. I’ve been a big fan of the Estonian composer for over two decades when my wife and I were at the house of one of her friends, and they were playing some of his music.

It was good that Bach Magnificat involved additional singers because at least five of our choir members were playing in the orchestra instead.

You may recall from the movie Amadeus when the Salieri character cried, “Too many notes!” This is what the Magnificat felt like for both the singers and the instrumentalists. In the case of the former, there was a lot of melisma, which is “a group of notes or tones sung on one syllable.” My favorite piece, which did not involve the full choir, involved the trio of Rose, Carla, and Fiona. They sang the solos and duets along with Joshua and guest vocalist Kristopher.

I’m using this photo that my friend Annika took because at least three people who attended the Magnificat asked if I had participated. Someone in front of me must have obscured me. But in this picture, I’m just left of the lectern. I was there! Really!

I’m always excited when we do a big piece and relieved when it’s over. Here’s the First Friday performance for December 6, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church of Albany.

Billy Wagner for Baseball Hall of Fame

Ichiro

If I could vote, I’d pick Billy Wagner for Baseball Hall of Fame induction. This is his 10th and final year on the ballot and last time, he was on a tantalizing 73.8% of the ballots, with 75% required to make it into the Hall. He was a steady relief pitcher. Here’s the case.

I’d also want Andruw Jones (8th year, 61.6% last year), a fabulous defensive centerfielder. Though his offense dropped off precipitously, I’d still pick him. Here’s the case.

In the case of Carlos Beltrán (3rd year, 57.1%), he “established himself as one of the best power-hitting center fielders ever. He ranks fifth all-time in home runs (435) among center fielders (at least 1,000 games played in center). He trails only Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle, and Andre Dawson, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame.

“Using the same criteria, Beltrán also ranks fifth in runs batted in, fourth in doubles, 13th in slugging percentage, 17th in OPS, and 13th in isolated power… “

In the narrative, Jimmy Rollins (4th year, 14.8%) “was a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, an MVP, and a member of two pennant-winning teams. In addition, he had 2,455 hits, the 10th most for players who logged 60% of their starts at short; he’s behind Omar Vizquel, 19th-century star Bill Dahlen, and seven Hall of Fame inductees.

As a player who combined extra-base power with speed, he’s the only shortstop in the history of baseball to hit 200 home runs, leg out 100 triples, hit over 500 doubles, and steal at least 400 bases.”

I’ve been pushing Andy Pettitte (7th year, 13.5%) for years. His case is “fairly simple. He won 256 games. There are only five pitchers since 1901 with more than 250 wins who are not in the Hall of Fame.”

I’m on the fence regarding Bobby Abreu and Chase Utley

New on the ballot

I’d also select outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, pitcher CC Sabathia, and infielder Dustin Pedroia, all of whom are described here.

I would not vote for Álex Rodríguez (A-Rod) or Manny Ramírez over performance-enhancing drugs. Next year is Manny’s 10th and last year; maybe then. I’ve declined Francisco Rodríguez (K-Rod) and Omar Vizquel for non-baseball reasons having to do with abuse.

Here are all of the stats for Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltrán, Mark Buehrle, Carlos González, Curtis Granderson, Félix Hernández, Torii Hunter, Adam Jones, Andruw Jones, Ian Kinsler, Russell Martin, Brian McCann, Dustin Pedroia, Andy Pettitte, Hanley Ramírez, Manny Ramírez, Fernando Rodney, Álex Rodríguez, Francisco Rodríguez, Jimmy Rollins, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Troy Tulowitzki, Chase Utley, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner, David Wright, and Ben Zobrist.

eeggnorrre

Popeye

Someone named Stephanie wrote on Facebook: “Sort your name in Alphabetical order, then Google that result.”

I mistyped mine for Roger Green as Eeggnorrre. The spellcheck does not love it. But the first Google result is to Eegore | Radioactive Uber Wiki – Fandom

“Eegore is a former member of the Radioactive Uber Clan and a member of the Indigo Syndicate. He is Popeye Jr.’s caretaker for when Popeye the Sailor. isn’t around to take care of his son as well as a supreme sorcerer. He was born as a half-fishman/half-human family. He was kidnapped by evil Demons and sold around as a circus show before the RUC eventually saved him. He gained Popeye’s trust and eventually was chosen to be a caretaker for Popeye Jr. given Popeye’s work making him busy.”

This absolutely tracks. I started eating spinach as a result of watching Popeye cartoons on my local TV station, WNBF TV channel 12 in Binghamton, even though I didn’t like any other vegetable. Well, peas were okay,

Then there is a reference to the half-fisherman, half-human,” which reminds me very much of Namor, the Sub-Mariner, one of my favorite comic books in the 1970s, particularly when Bill Everett came back to draw it. It was also a favorite of my then-girlfriend, the Okie.

The other search items are eegor. “Richard Blacker aka EEGOR has held a passion for music since he was just 6 years old.” Here is his SoundCloud page. Another eegor is the Instagram page for “a Black pug turning white pug” from Virginia, who died this year at the age of 16.

I also tried this exercise for Roger Owen Green. The word eeeggnnorrrw means beginner, eggnog, or ignore, which is not nearly so interesting.

More Billboard Christmas Charts

Cheech & Chong

Here are more Billboard Christmas Charts, the songs that did very well in the limited seasonal charts. They were calculated from 1963 through 1972 and 1983 through 1985.

The majority of these songs I do not know; I’ll note the ones that I do.

Here are the songs that reached #2

Merry Christmas, Baby – Charles Brown (1968). I know the song, but it is not from that time period.

Little Drummer Boy – Lou Rawls (1967). Another song I first heard much later.

Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy– Buck Owens (1965). Co-written by Owens.

If Every Day Was Like Christmas – Elvis Presley (1966). If every day WAS like Christmas, would it really be a wonderful world? (Asking for my id.)

Do You Hear What I See – Bing Crosby (1963). I have a whole album of Bing, plus some songs on an Andrews Sisters collection.

Little Becky’s Christmas Wish – Becky Lamb (1967). “Probably the most well-known (and most commercially successful) of the 60s child spoken-word records, the song (Warner Bros. Records # 7154) by the 6-year-old girl took the form of a letter to Santa Claus asking him to bring her big brother Tommy home for Christmas. However, he died in Vietnam.” I never even heard of this. Oh, my.

Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas – The Staple Singers (1973). This shows in a STAX/Volt box set. Besides the vocals, it’s a bit melancholy, which is why I like it.

We’re #3

These songs reached #3 on the Xmas charts

Santa Claus and His Old Lady – Cheech & Chong (1972). Stoned talk.

The Man With All The Toys – The Beach Boys (1964). This I have.

Silver Bells – Earl Grant (1969). This needs more airplay.

Little Saint Nick – The Beach Boys (1963). I also have this

You’re All I Want For Christmas – Brook Benton (1963)

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – The Temptations (1971). Several Motown artists released Christmas albums: Supremes, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, as well as the Tempts. They appeared on a couple of compilations, one of which I own on vinyl.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon (1971). Of COURSE, I have this song.

Woman in a wheelchair

uneven sidewalks

After my audiologist appointment on a Tuesday morning – I will need hearing aids one of these days – I trekked to downtown Albany. Near the corner of Washington and Lark, trying to figure out what I wanted to eat for lunch, a woman in a wheelchair approached me. She said, “Excuse me, could you…” I almost didn’t let her ask her question.

I had gone to a workshop a few days earlier about dealing with people looking for money. But that wasn’t what she was going to ask me. “Excuse me, could you push my wheelchair…” to a specific, unfamiliar place? I asked where it was, two or three blocks away. I had a window of time, so I said okay. She asked my name, and I asked hers. I’m going to call her Elizabeth.

Right away, Elizabeth was pleased that I waited for the light when we were trying to traverse Central Avenue. A few pedestrians had begun to cross, but I knew that sequence very well. Sure enough, they were in the middle of the street when traffic threatened them. She noted that her ex-boyfriend had helped her cross the street, and she ended up getting hit by a car.

Elizabeth had offered to hold my briefcase, where I was carrying my laptop. Initially, I said no, but as my right hand began cramping, I took her up on her offer. She said it made her feel like a professional. I told her when I needed to stop to put on my sunglasses and knit hat because I recognized she couldn’t see what I would do.

Why the wheelchair?

Elizabeth had lost a few toes due to an infection in March 2024; a lawsuit is in the works. She seems to know a few people who are on the street. When we crossed Henry Johnson Boulevard, she knew how difficult it was to get back on the sidewalk, so she asked me to walk in the street on Central Avenue. This was slightly terrifying, but I had my orange hat on, so no harm befell us. About halfway up the block, there was a cutout so we could get back onto the sidewalk.

You never really notice how uneven sidewalks can be unless you’re pushing a wheelchair, using a cart, or some other unusual circumstance. Half a block before we got to her destination, she asked if she could have some money. At this point, I felt like I had developed a relationship with this person. I was disinclined to direct her to some agency she could visit, so I gave her $20, which startled her. “Are you sure?” Yes.

We got to the corner near her destination. She crossed the street on her own. I stood waiting to make sure she got across. She had to go up the cutout backward because that was the only way she could maneuver it.

I can’t explain this exactly, but it felt like an honor to be able to do this for Elizabeth. Other people were around Washington and Lark, but she asked me to push her wheelchair a few blocks. I learned a lot from her in that 15 minutes or so.

Before we departed, Elizabeth said, “You’re a very nice man.” I said, “Yes, I am.” She laughed and said, “Boy, aren’t you full of yourself?” I replied, “Well, you brought it up.”